Eldrum: Black Dust is a text-based RPG set in a dark fantasy world, out now for iOS and Android
Choose your life, or your death
- Eldrum: Black Dust is a chose-your-own-adventure text-based RPG out now for iOS and Android
- Explore a middle-eastern inspired dark fantasy world
- Experience multiple endings, classes and D&D-inspired turn-based combat
Some of you may remember the old Fighting Fantasy books, choose-your-own-adventure novels where you decided which direction the story took. And now, if you're looking to relive those days but with all the convenience of modern, digital technology, you've got a new option, Eldrum: Black Dust, the latest in the Eldrum series.
Not only does Eldrum allow you to do exactly what a CYOA does, and decide your fate through a series of key choices, but there's also a lot more actual gameplay included. Sure, you're moving from scene to scene, but you also have D&D-inspired combat, multiple classes and a dark fantasy world to explore.
Out now on iOS and Android, Eldrum: Black Dust retails at only $8.99, and boasts plenty of original, distinctive art, immersive audio and multiple endings that you can discover. Whether it's trying out new choices, or entirely new classes, it seems there's plenty of replayability on offer.
I think one of the chief barriers to entry when it comes to the CYOA is the fact that, beyond making choices, there's rarely any more interactivity. But even as far back as the early days of Fighting Fantasy, some books chose to include actual TTRPG-lite combat and other mechanics, something used even to this day for introducing players to a new system.
In my opinion, Eldrum: Black Dust seems to have plenty to offer, with original art and music, a branching narrative and combat. It may not be the one to pull you in if you're a genre sceptic, but if you're hungry for something new to try, and love a good CYOA, maybe this can be your early Christmas present.
And if you end up with an itch to scratch for a good story, Ivan has recently updated our own comprehensive list of the top 12 best narrative adventure games for mobile available now!
